She made four voyages from Liverpool as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people.

Britannia first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1793, with J. James, master, Gregson, owner, and her trade as Liverpool-Africa.

[6] A database of slave voyages from Liverpool shows that Britannia, Joseph James, master, and John Gregson, owner, had sailed for West Central Africa and St. Helena on 17 January 1793.

[7] James received a letter of marque dated 25 April 1793,[3] i.e., in absentia, war with France having broken out after Britannia had sailed.

In 1793, 68 vessels sailed from British ports, bound for voyages transporting enslaved people.

[11] Later, in 1796, Britannia was sailing from Africa to the West Indies when the French captured her and took her into Guadeloupe.

Twelve of the vessels, including Britannia, were lost on the Middle Passage, while sailing from Africa to the West Indies.

[16] Britannia, of 212 tons (bm), launched at Saltcoats in 1783, returned to Lloyd's Register in 1798 with Hymers, master, Hodgson, owner, and trade Liverpool–Africa.

[4] In late 1799, three French frigates captured several slave ships, Britannia among them, off the Windward Coast.